Five essential items you need to survive a heatwave | July

I’m going to let you in on a secret – I don’t actually like summer *GASPS*. I find the whole season, in general, to be a bit “in your face”, but with a heatwave on top, I’m just not a fan (can we just appreciate the pun?) If like me and sometimes you just CANNOT DEAL with the heat, here is a list of essential items that gets me through it 🙂

Water bottle:

Due to the current heatwave that is sweeping the UK, hydration alone is essential, so why not hydrate yourself with the use of something cute? In the event where I know that I’m going to be outdoors for a period of time, I always try to remember to bring water with me.

The one that I’m currently using is a blue floral one from Cath Kidston. It’s currently out of stock (sorry you’re late to the party) but on their website, they currently have a few really cute ones on sale, yaass. I personally think that water bottles that have fruit infusers are the best. In mine, I like to put a bit of lemon, some cucumber and a bit of mint. Doing this has so many health benefits but I mean, I just like it cos it makes my water tasty.

Another water bottle that I have used in the past is one from Hydratem8. I’m really terrible when it comes to reminding myself to drink water, however, when I had this bottle I was constantly reminded due to the time tracker on the bottle. Subconsciously, it felt like I had entered a competition to drink the most, but I mean, I was the only one participating. Pro tip: don’t add blackcurrant to your water and then leave it in there for a couple of days, the acidic smell will never come out.

This product is a new favourite of mine. For the longest time, I’ve never really been a fan of moisturising. I’ve always found the process to be a bit long cos you need to rub it in properly and sometimes it gets sticky so you need to wait before you can get dressed. Well, my friends, that was a thing of the past as I’ve moved on up to Gel “Creams” aka moisturisers.

This is a gel from Neutrogena that has completely revolutionised how I take care of my skin during those dry summer months. As it’s a gel, it’s really easy to disperse all over and soaks into your skin really quickly. What I also enjoy is how affordable it is. In Boots, you can get a 250ml bottle for £4.99, but for £1 more you can get the 400ml bottle. Needless to say, I am getting through them like it’s nobody’s business.

Along the lines of feeling hot and sweaty, a cool spray is a SUMMER ESSENTIAL. This bad boy is perfect for when your outside, you’re getting too hot for comfort, you’re considering seeking asylum indoors, but no. If you just go right ahead and whip out your instantly refreshing cooling spray to the back of your neck, you’ll be able to enjoy the great outdoors for much longer.

These bad boys can come from lots of different brands and sizes, therefore you can get some for a lot cheaper than others. This one here is a 150ml bottle from Avene and it comes with the somewhat hefty price tag of £8.50, however, the smaller bottle is cheaper (£4.50). What I like about this one is that it’s just 100% water. When compared to Boots own brand which is £3.99, it has a lot of different ingredients in it, the most noticeable one being denatured alcohol. So, yeah as I said, there are lots of choices out there, but a cool spray in general is, essential.

Lip balm:

My lips are not enjoying this summer heat let me tell you. More than ever before, I’ve found myself reaching for a lip balm, to quench my lip’s thirst. The ones that I’m loving right now are the EOS lip balms.

For days when I just *cannot* with makeup, all I tend to do is put on a bit of moisturising sun cream and some EOS. What I love about it, is that alongside nourishing my lips, it’s also protecting them as it’s got SPF 30 in it. And also it just looks a bit more fun than your regular chapstick.

In stores, they are around £6.50, however, if you go on sites such as Beauty Bay, they go for £5.95 (that 55p save THO) and you get a much wider range of flavours and colours so you can allow your collection to grow and blossom into something beautiful.

Mesh Bag:

After a recent trip to Sweden, I discovered the brand Granit and MY GOD did I wish it was in the U.K. As I only had hand luggage I had to get something small and that’s when I came across the most #blogger essential.

I had big visions when I got on the blogger mesh bag bandwagon. I saw myself walking to the little local florist to pick up a bunch of flowers and then heading off to the market to pick out my fresh fruit and vegetables. Or when it came to going to the beach, I saw myself putting my cute little beach towel in it and strolling along the sandy shore. Needless to say, the reality of my vision goes more along the lines of driving to Sainsbury’s, buying ALL of the ice lollies and go back home.

To conclude my little mesh bag story, if you don’t find yourself in a Swedish neighbourhood anytime this summer, it’s okay, as there are lots of similar looking ones in stores and on Amazon, such as this one.